Dry Oak Park may get beer, wine sales

OAK PARK – Though the city has banned the sale of alcohol by the glass for decades, city officials are getting ready to explain to residents why they want to grant tavern licenses to allow the sale of beer and wine to spur business development

“We’re not talking about having night clubs and strip clubs,” said City Manager Erik Tungate. “The tavern licenses, if approved by City Council, would be for restaurants with strict oversight.”

Oak Park is the largest dry city in the state.

Tungate, along with the public safety director and some City Council members, is scheduled to address the issue at a town hall meeting 7 p.m. March 21 at the city Community Center, 14300 Oak Park Blvd. A second town hall meeting is also being planned for next month.

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“I want people to understand what we are talking about,” Tungate said. “Many people are mixing up Class C liquor licenses with tavern licenses.”

Class C liquor licenses allow for sales of all types of alcohol, including liquor, by the glass. The City Charter banned such licenses in 1945. The only way to overturn that ban is with a citywide vote. Several such proposals have been rejected by city voters over the years, most recently in 2005. The owners of the Sahara restaurant, however, are collecting petition signatures to get another proposal on the ballot this year.

Meantime, the City Council is mulling whether to grant tavern licenses to restaurants that meet certain requirements. Tavern licenses can be granted with a council vote rather than a citywide referendum.

Tungate said Oak Park’s ban on all alcohol sales is driving away restaurants that might consider opening here. The city’s dry policy is also making it more difficult for Oak Park restaurants to compete with other eateries in surrounding communities where alcohol is allowed.

“If our businesses succeed then Oak Park succeeds,” Tungate said.

But in a city that has been dry for nearly seven decades, some residents have concerns about allowing any alcohol sales.

“We want to address those concerns at the upcoming town hall meeting,” Mayor Marian McClellan said.

One of the most frequent objections is that sales of beer and wine will lead to more crime for the Public Safety Department to deal with, McClellan said.

Public Safety Director Steven Cooper has already spoken on that issue before the city Planning Commission and is set to address it again at the upcoming town hall meeting.

“He told the Planning Commission he did not see (tavern licenses) as a crime issue in Oak Park,” McClellan said.

If the City Council ultimately approves issuing tavern licenses, Tungate said the city will impose strict requirements before granting any licenses.

Tavern license applicants would have to be located 500 feet or more away from any school or religious institution, have at least 51 percent of business dedicated to serving food, and have seating for at least 50 patrons, Tungate said.

“There will be a whole checklist of land-use requirements,” he said. “I’d say only about five to 10 restaurants in the city would be able to meet the requirements.”